Your kid is possessive… Why?

Rid your kid of possessiveness with these steps

Your kid is possessive… This has many reasons, such as their need to feel safety and reassurance. However, it’s best if you help them get rid of this problem to live a healthy social life. What can you do?

How do you help your kid let go of their possessiveness?

First, find the problem

If your kid is possessive, they refuse to share their toys and objects with their siblings or other kids. They often get into fights with them if they try to use them.

Reasons and solutions

Young age

– Your kid, who is less than 3 years old, may refuse to share their objects with others, and manifest a desire to possess everything only because of their young age.

– The solution? Give them a good example by giving some of your things to your sister, mother or friend before their eyes. This way they’ll get used to doing it themselves with time.

– For example, say: “you see? We can lend our objects and things to another person. They’ll give it back to us later”.

Need for reassurance

Your kid may feel very attached to their possessions. So they see giving them to someone else as a separation from part of themselves. Possession helps them feel safe and reassured. This is why you’ll notice them using too many possessive words, like: “My toy, my clothes, my shoes,…”

It’s wrong to believe your kid’s possessiveness is connected to bad parenting. It’s just a condition they can get rid of with time.

However, make sure not to call them names related to their possessiveness, like “mean” or “bad”… This will make them demonstrate more attachment to this trait and keep it.

If they feel angry because they have to share their toys with another kid, don’t force them to do it. Talk to them and tell them that they can use that kid’s toys in turn when they visit them in their house. This way they’ll start to learn the concept of sharing and find out its benefits.